


Somebody

by tiamat100



Category: Dragon Age (Video Games), Dragon Age - All Media Types, Dragon Age: Origins
Genre: AU, Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, F/F, Romance, based on SOmebody by Reba Mcentire, coffee shop AU
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-08-22
Updated: 2016-08-22
Packaged: 2018-08-10 10:33:46
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,805
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/7841392
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/tiamat100/pseuds/tiamat100
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Natia Brosca has been working at this diner/coffee shop for a long time, but she's never had such an instant attraction to a customer as she does to Leliana. Based on the song "Somebody" performed by Reba McEntire.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Somebody

Natia looked up from pouring another cup of coffee as the door opened, then immediately looked down again. It was her. Feeling suddenly embarrassed, and not wanting to be rude, she looked up again and smiled brightly at the customer. The woman didn’t see her. She looked downhearted and didn’t look up as she made her way to her usual table and sat down, picking up a menu. Natia watched her for a moment, wondering what troubles could cause that forehead to crease.  
She was brought back to awareness by a nudge in her side. Whirling to see who was attacking her, she relaxed to see her best friend and roommate, seemingly unaware that he’d startled her.  
“Ooh, looks like your crush is having a bad day. You gonna cheer her up?” He pulled a face, miming kissing. She swatted him, hard.  
“Shut up, Alistair.”  
He laughed. “She’s never going to date you if you just stare at her from afar, you know. Why don’t you take her some coffee? Looks like she needs it.”  
Technically she was sitting in Alistair’s half of the diner, but Natia had been serving her nearly every day that she’d come in anyway. That was how Alistair had realised she’d had a crush. What waitress willingly took over someone else’s table for no good reason?  
Nervously picking up the coffee pot and a mug, Natia shot one last glare at Alistair and stepped out from behind the counter. Walking over to Leliana’s table, she smiled brightly as she hovered at the woman’s elbow. It took a moment for Leliana to look up, but when she did she forced a smile back.  
“Good morning.” Natia said gently. “You want some coffee this morning?”  
Leliana nodded. “That would be perfect.”  
Natia placed the mug on the table and began pouring the coffee. Summoning her courage, she spoke as she poured.  
“I hope you don’t mind, but you look a little… downhearted, today. Everything okay?”  
Leliana sighed. “I don’t know, Natia. I suppose it’s just one of those days.” Natia finished pouring and Leliana picked up the cup, holding it in both hands and breathing in the scent.  
“Anything I can help with? I’m pretty good with advice.” She offered, hoping desperately that she wasn’t overstepping. They’d had a few conversations before, and Leliana seemed friendly- that was part of what attracted Natia to her in the first place. She took a deep breath, ready to apologise and step back, but Leliana looked interested.  
“I suppose… it could be good to get a stranger’s opinion on things.” Ouch. Natia tried not to wince. Leliana let out a deep breath and Natia leaned in to listen.  
“The truth is, I… I guess I’m lonely. It’s Valentine’s Day tomorrow and I don’t have a date.” She laughed self-deprecatingly. “That sounds so foolish, doesn’t it? A grown woman worried about who will be her valentine?”  
“No!” Natia said automatically. “No, it doesn’t sound ridiculous at all. I understand.” She paused, then leaned in conspiratorially. “I don’t have a date either.”  
Leliana looked at her in surprise. “You don’t? I assumed you and that other waiter… Alistair, is it? I assumed you were a couple. You act so close.”  
Natia shook her head. “Oh, no. No. No, not at all.” The truth was that Alistair had been interested, once upon a time, but that was far behind them now. He’d been nothing but platonically friendly towards her since he’d found out that she was gay.  
“We’re just friends.” She continued. “He’s not really my type.”  
“I see.” Leliana nodded. “I am sorry for assuming.” She stirred her drink for a moment. “I am sure you will find someone. You’re very beautiful, you know, and I love the way you wear your hair.”  
Natia blushed a deep crimson, her hand shooting up to her short, choppy red hair. “Oh! Thank you!” Her chest felt as warm as her face did from the compliment. “I - Your hair is very pretty too. It’s a lovely colour.”  
“It’s the same colour as yours.” Leliana pointed out.  
Natia blushed again. “Well, yes, but yours is so much more vibrant, I mean, it’s bright and shiny and-”  
“Thank you.” Leliana cut her off. “That is very sweet of you to say.” She paused for a moment. Natia, sensing the time for an escape, picked up the coffee pot and started to back away.  
“I just have to find someone else who appreciates my hair.” Leliana joked. Natia hesitated, then stepped forward again. She smiled encouragingly.  
"Maybe you've just got to open your eyes, you know? Look at the people you might not pay attention to." Her heart beat wildly. She couldn't believe she was being so bold. "Maybe there's someone you walk past every day, and if you just gave them a chance they'd be perfect for you."  
"I suppose." Leliana said dubiously. "Maybe. But..." She picked at her napkin, then brightened a fraction. "Perhaps?"  
"Perhaps?" Natia prompted, heart in her throat.  
Leliana's cheeks turned slightly pink. "There is... someone. An attractive woman I've seen a few times, just in passing. But I've never had the courage to say anything to her."  
Natia was instantly torn between elation and despair. Elation- Leliana liked women! They had a chance!  
And despair- Leliana liked someone else. They had no chance. And thanks to Natia's stupid advice, Leliana was going to ask that person out.  
Luckily, none of this showed on her face. Instead she smiled, hoping it didn’t look fake.  
“Then why not give it a go? You’ve got nothing to lose.” She said, fully aware of how hypocritical she was being.  
Leliana smiled, a brighter smile this time. “Perhaps I will.” She murmured. “Natia-”  
There was a smashing sound, and Natia whirled around to see Alistair had just dropped a tray of plates on the floor. At least two were smashed. Trying not to swear, she muttered a quick “Sorry!” and raced to Alistair’s side.  
“You okay?” She asked, grabbing a cloth and kneeling down to start clearing up the mess. Alistair nodded.  
“Just being clumsy today.” He muttered. “Thanks.”

By the time Natia finished cleaning up the spillages and the broken china on the floor, Leliana was gone, having left enough money to pay for her coffee on the table.  
The rest of the day was a blur of customers as Natia tried not to imagine Leliana asking some nameless figure on a date. This didn’t help her mood, and by ten minutes to closing Natia was feeling rather grumpy. She couldn’t wait for the day to finish so she could go home and call her sister, Rica, and get it all off her chest.  
The door chimed. Resigned to closing late, Natia turned to look at the customer that would be keeping her from going home.  
It was Leliana, looking relatively similarly to how she had this morning. Downcast, quiet. Natia felt a twist of guilt. Had she asked out her crush? Had it gone badly? She couldn’t imagine how anyone could turn down Leliana, but maybe if the woman was straight or already in a relationship.  
She prepared to get Leliana a coffee, but to her surprise Leliana wasn’t heading towards her usual table. She was heading towards her.  
Natia clenched her fists tightly in panic. Was Leliana angry with her? Did she blame her for whatever had gone wrong? Ancestors, help her!  
As she got closer, Leliana smiled nervously. “I… Uh… i wanted to finish our conversation from this morning.” She said quickly.  
Natia frowned. She’d thought it already finished.  
“Of course.” She said, with her best service smile. “Why don’t you take a seat? I’ll be over in a moment.”  
Leliana nodded and hurried to her usual table. Natia, despite the time, spent as long as she feasibly could in picking up the coffee pot and a mug. Pretty quickly, however, she had to make her way over to Leliana’s table.  
“Oh, I know you’re closing soon.” Leliana protested as Natia poured her drink. “I don’t want to be a bother.”  
“You’re not being.” Natia wasn’t lying, but she knew Alistair would be annoyed if they didn’t leave on time. Oh well. He’d been the one who’d pushed her to talk to her crush, he could suffer from the fallout.  
“Oh. Okay. I just…” She picked up a napkin and began fidgeting with it. “I just wanted to ask you about some things you said this morning. I don’t want to make things awkward or anything, and if you don’t want to answer you don’t have to, I know it’s awful for me to do this when you’re at work and you have to be polite to me but I promise I won’t complain. Is that okay?”  
She’d said all this very nervously. Natia’s head whirled as she tried to figure out what on earth Leliana would want to say to her. Why would she be apologising if she was angry?  
“Oh...kay?” Natia said slowly, trying and failing to hide her confusion.  
Leliana took a deep breath. “Alright. I… this morning I… I’m quite good at reading body language, usually. And I thought maybe from your body language that you might be interested, so I thought I would take your advice and ask.”  
“What?” Natia’s forehead creased in confusion.  
“Would you like to go out with me? It is alright if you say no, I won’t push it, I promise-”  
Natia’s mouth had dropped open. It took her a moment to gather herself. Finally, she asked  
“Is this a joke?”  
Leliana looked horrified. “No, of course not! I am genuine.”  
“Oh.” Natia felt shaky. Her heart was beating too quickly. “Then, yes. That would be lovely.”  
Had that really just happened? She watched a relieved smile spread over Leliana’s face.  
“Really?”  
Natia blushed. “Yes?”  
Someone chuckled from behind them. Natia glanced over to see Alistair apparently studying a glass intensely, no trace of laughter on his face. She blushed and looked back to Leliana.  
She was smiling.  
“I’m glad. I was hoping you would feel the same way.”  
“Are you kidding?” Natia asked. “I’ve been crushing on you since you came in that first day.”  
Leliana blinked. “That was two months ago.”  
Natia avoided her eyes for a moment. “Yeah. Well. You’re very pretty.”  
Leliana laughed delightedly. “And I thought I’d have to find a new place to get my coffee.”  
Natia smiled, raising her eyes to meet Leliana’s beautiful blue eyes.  
“We might have to anyway. I don’t think we can have our date here, it closes in five minutes.”  
Leliana smiled. “I thought I might take you out for dinner, actually.” She reached out nervously to take Natia’s hand.  
Natia felt the grin explode over her face as their hands touched.  
“That sounds absolutely perfect.”

**Author's Note:**

> A/N- Based on the song “Somebody” performed by Reba McEntire. Features my warden, Natia Brosca. If you’re interested in more AUs and fics about these two, I’m planning to publish a fic version of my canon Warden’s journey and I’ve written several AU’s for them which are still unpublished.  
> Have a great day!


End file.
